GDT: Hurricanes at Lightning | Dec. 21, 7:00 PM | Fox Sports

[Finnish Jerk Train]

Tonight the Hurricanes head down to Tampa for the second leg of a back to back against their former division foes. [insert token natural disasters joke here.] The Lightning's fortunes have turned around since Jon Cooper replaced Guy Boucher as head coach late last season. With a record of 21-11-3, they are currently sitting third in the east behind only Pittsburgh and Boston. That would only be good for 8th in the west, but anyway. After dropping a game they probably should have won last night, Carolina comes in with a record of 14-14-7, while the Lightning rested last night after beating Nashville 4-2 on Thursday.

Chip has been quiet today, but most people are thinking Peters will get the start tonight. Komisarek was activated yesterday, but scratched from last night's game. For obvious reasons, Khudobin continues to sit on IR even though everyone knows he's healthy. Other than Pitkanen, the team is relatively healthy for once.

Missy Zielinski, a beat reporter for the Lightning, says Bishop gets the start. Tampa, unlike Carolina, is ravaged by injuries, with Brian Lee, Mattias Ohlund, Steven Stamkos, Ryan Malone, and Keith Aulie all on IR. Tom Pyatt has been dealing with a broken collarbone since early October, but is expected to play tonight.

Carolina Hurricanes

Skinner - E. Staal - Ruutu
Gerbe - J. Staal - Semin
Tlusty - Nash - Dwyer
BOwman - Malhotra - Dvorak

Sekera - Faulk
Bellemore - Hainsey
Harrison - Gleason

Peters
Ward


Tampa Bay Lightning

Palat - Johnson - St. Louis
Killorn - Filppula - Purcell
Brown - Thompson - Kucherov
Panik - Pyatt - Crombeen

Salo - Hedman
Carle - Gudas
Cote - Brewer

Bishop
Lindback

Click to read more...

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Bishop with a 41-save shutout. Stamkos scores on Peters from the pressbox. Ward blamed.

 

[Unsustainable]

After last night, I hope we get lucky bounces in rather then out.

 

[rocky7]

luckiest team wins

 

[Novacane]

Lose it and they're back under .500.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

We'll see how the team bounces back. They can either build on the solid play or get frustrated that no matter what they did they couldn't get a win last night.

 

[Wolfpuck]

Bishop starts

We're screwed

 

[Lazyking]

A win would be nice

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

jfwp

 

[gocanes88]

Hoping second intermission lines up with halftime in Charlotte so I can watch history. Big, big night in the Queen City!

 

[HisIceness]

Just ****ing win please. Do it without getting hurt as well please.

 

[TheBigKahuna]

Pretty sure Bishop will look like an All Star, and I'm pretty sure Stamkos will score from miles away!

 

[TheOllieC]

I feel so awkward when Kirk stares me down through the screen

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

LOL, none of the Fox Sports channels are working on my cable box.

We really need a new cable box.

Oh well, I guess I'll just keep watching Once Upon A Time...

 

[Wolfpuck]

Slutty!

 

[Novacane]

Slutty boy!!

 

[Unsustainable]

Slutty!

 

[Wolfpuck]

No shutout for Bishop!

 

[TheOllieC]

Let's go Jiri!!!

 

[Novacane]

The composer off to the box.

 

[Wolfpuck]

Devo to the box

The parade continues...

 

[tarheelhockey]

That's a good penalty though, Dvorak probably saved a goal.

 

[Wolfpuck]

"Reaching around like an Apache helicopter."

wtf

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Game comes on and we're up 1-0!

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

That'll ring the bell a little.